BRISBANE Lions midfielder Brent Moloney has announced his retirement.

The former Geelong and Melbourne player had a career that spanned 12 seasons and played a total of 166 games.

After several weeks battling an Achilles injury, Moloney has decided to hang up his boots, effective immediately.

After a solid first year in Brisbane in 2013, the 30-year-old has endured a frustrating season to date, playing the first five games before being banished to the reserves.

Originally drafted by Geelong with pick No.4 in the 2003 Pre-Season Draft, Moloney called time on his career after 23 matches with the Cats, 122 with the Demons, and 21 games for the Lions.


Moloney was beset by injury at the Demons, then stripped of the vice-captaincy in 2011 after a heavy drinking session.

But he quickly bounced back, winning the club's best and fairest award in the same year.

Moloney played 15 games under new Melbourne coach Mark Neeld in 2012 before being shipped off to the Lions.

It was anything but amicable.

When Neeld was sacked the following year, Moloney posted a picture with the words "karma is a bitch" on social media.

Moloney told the Lions' website he would like to be remembered as an "honest bloke" and a "good teammate".

"Brent is a fantastic character and we are fortunate to have had him as part of our Lions family," the club's football manager Dean Warren said on the Lions' website.

"Brent has been a great mentor for our young playing list, in particular our midfielders and will be sorely missed around the club."

Daniel Rich and Tom Rockliff were among Moloney's teammates to pay tribute to him on Twitter.

He was a NAB AFL Rising Star nominee (2003), the 2011 Melbourne club champion, and a member of the Lions 2013 NAB Cup premiership side.